CROATIA'S TRANSPORT MINISTER URGES RAIL UNIONS TO CALL OFF STRIKE

ZAGREB, Dec 16 (Hina) - Croatian Transport Minister Ivica Mudrinic today called on rail unions to call off their strike. Mudrinic, who is also the president of the Croatian Railways management committee and of the committe for negotiations with rail unions, released a statement saying that Croatian Railways' poor business results were inherited from the former Communist system and were aggravated by a considerably reduced market, closed railway lines and occupation of parts of Croatia. Mudrinic said the management committee had taken important steps in the last nine months in improving work conditions and modernizing the equipment. Mudrinic stressed the company's work force was much bigger than could be accounted for by market demands and would have to be reduced in order to ensure an adequate level of wages. The Government had earmarked 1,100 million kunas (about 300 million DEM) for Croatian Railways in 1994 and was planning to set aside 925 million kunas next year, he said. Mudrinic said the management committee had instructed the Croatian Railways manager to investigate allegations by the strike committee that certain business agreements were detrimental and to take all necessary measures in this regard. The strike is causing direct daily damage of over 1,5 million kunas and the possibility of repairing the damage and increasing wages is more remote with each day of strike, the statement said. The management committee regarded the strike as unjustified because there had been no talks before the strike and its duration had not been determined. Croatian railway workers went on strike on December 8 in protest at low wages and poor work conditions. (hina) jn vm 161951 MET dec 94